 5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. Summer weekend - ready, set, go! Your grill is so fresh and so clean (clean). You're chock-a-block full of red-hot grilling tips. You've got a bangin' burger recipe. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing will go wrong. Juuuuust in case it does, meet our last line of defense: John Stage, the pitmaster and founder of the wildly acclaimed Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Onward and upward. Deep breaths. Keep calm and grill on. Remember: You hold the spatula in this relationship. Five Most Common Grilling Mistakes and How to Fix 'Em: John Stage Always use the BBQ sauce towards the end of grilling, during the last 10 to 20 minutes, as BBQ sauces often have high sugar content, some more than others, and will burn off before your meat is done. For a quick homemade BBQ sauce, grab some ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and honey - this combination will give you a sweet/savory/sour flavor combination." 2. Meat sticking to grill When cooking fish, steaks or chops, a light brush of vegetable oil on the meat will keep it from sticking – chicken has enough fat in its skin and does not need to be brushed with oil. Finally, resist the urge to over flip meat - if it doesn't easily flip, it's not ready." 3. Marinade mistake Regarding marinade time frames, fish and shrimp need the least amount of time, about 1 to 2 hours, while beef, pork and chicken take longer, anywhere from 4 to 12 to 24 hours, depending on the cut. Place meat and marinade in a plastic Ziploc bag (with air removed) in the fridge." 4. Gas taste If you do use lighter fluid, never spray it directly onto the hot coals, this is dangerous and doesn’t help. Also make sure coals are almost a grayish white before you start cooking over them. You can achieve better results grilling on a traditional $100 kettle Weber grill than you can with any expensive gas grill." 5. Flare-ups If you flare-up, just move the meat to the cooler safe harbor until the fire dies down. Then, you can adjust it back to the hotter side when it is safe. Too many flare-ups can mean your meat is too close to the flame. Try also raising the height of your grill grates in order to prevent flare-ups." Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down. See all our best grilling advice at Grilling 101 |
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Something these articles always seems to miss, allow your meats (or whatever) to become room temperture before grilling.
To help in that last bit of grilling and adding your sauce. If your not the type to make your own sauce and use store bought, try adding some powdered garlic/onion/dry hot spice(s) to it ... flavor to taste and of course ALWAYS use Jack Daniels© in it.
try Kraft Thick and spicy 18oz(or your fav) add 1/2-1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2-1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup Jack D (1 shot for cook also), stir well...nuke for 1 1/2 min. @ 50% stir again to help blend flavors. This will be thinner but it helps keep your meats/whatever moist at the end and several coats will create a great look and Taste !
I like to use the bones of republicans as my fuel. They have been full of sh*t their entire life so they burn easily.
I think humans are best when they are roasted over mesquite on a slow turning spit.
But beware, it is extremely difficult to make roasted Republican taste good because it is very fatty, intrinsically bitter and doesn't mix well with cuts of meat that are a different color.
Mrahahaha!
HA! Similar things can be said of certain types of vegans. They make a very healthy version of Soylent Green – except you need to add a B-12 supplement to your diet.
I'd like to add some "yellow cake" to their diets.
Good idea. They'll be easier to see in the dark Soylent Green processing plants!
Hahaha! That's funny!
Humans that smoke tobacco have a nasty wet cigarette butt sort of taste. I avoid them but they might do in a pinch. Trying to pair a wine to that flavor is next to impossible. Even the wines with hints of tobacco are hit and miss.
Hey charcoal snobs. Gas works just as well if you know what you are doing, but oviously John has made up his mind that you can't grill with gas. If you are truly a grill master, then charcoal/gas, doesn't make a difference.
Great BBQ tips... I definitely need all the help I can when it comes to outdoor grilling. I found this fantastic BBQ recipe at http://www.recipeperson.com but I messed it all up... grilling can be a lot harder than it looks.
Give me an $8/lb ribeye rubbed with garlic salt and a gas grill any day. Done in 10 minutes. Zero prep time. Zero mess.
If you're lookin' you aint cookin!'
You can look and cook all you want cuz I got dat goooold!
"In order to build layers of flavor in your meat, always start with a rub and finish with a good BBQ sauce."
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Meat tastes good all by itself. You might as well slather a fine filet mignon with ketchup as use rubs and BBQ sauce. They do nothing but hide the taste of the meat.
I use pig bio gas, makes all my steaks taste like fart.
Funny you should say that. We have a farm animal poo digester that eats the muck from the stalls and barns. It captures, compresses and stores the methane. We use that for heating the horse stable, run few small farm engines that works some pumps and a conveyor belt and a small tractor and now you mention it, we could set up a grill to use that as well. Good idea,
Farmer in the Dell wins, that is the best! Seriously, if you do that, come over to the Coffee klatsch and let us know how it goes.
For one it isn't smoking or grilling if it isn't done with wood or charcoal. The only thing I've ever found gas to be good for is rotisserie. As far as getting a bit of flame on my steak; Nothing tastes better!
If the meat is really good you don't need BBQ souces you will cover the test of the meat:
You are wayyyy tooo serious here. Grilling/BBQ/Smoking is about having a good time while eating.
My grandpa used to cook the best steaks in a cast iron skillet, heated to almost smokin, a light layer of coarse salt to prevent sticking and SSSSsssss! for a while on one side, flip and Sssss on the other and eat!
Me, I currently use a $25 garage sale sears gas two burner (rebuilt). Got to have the lava rocks, ceramic tiles let the gas flame through the spaces between them. With the lava rocks you can develop a nice layer combined with burnt on grease that heats up evenly. You don't want to be cooking with the gas flame, you want to cook with the heat radiating from the rocks. I "clean" the grill with a wire brush after the initial warm up. Any gunk is on the bottom side and never touches the food. Smoke? Just toss a handfull of soaked chips right on the rocks in the back corner before shutting the lid.
Seasoning? Put on what YOU like, you are the one who has to eat it.
Turning? I go for the minimal amount of turning, except chicken, you have to keep the chicken moving to avoid burning. Turn away for a minute and the chicken fat will explode!
I prefer hardwood charcoal over charcoal briquets and I always keep a spray bottle nearby for flareups. Mist not spray so you wont stir up ash. For a sweet and spicy grilling flavor use Caribbean Jerk dry seasoning, absolutely love it! As for the grill surface, mine is standard wire from Weber. I always wait to grill is about ready to cook on then brush it, and shake down coal bed for even cooking. I always use olive oil with my seasonings to prevent sticking and to help hold the juices in.
I still cook on my twenty year old electric grill with cast grates over lava rocks. It is consistent, even, and provides great flavor. If I want to vary the flavors, I vary the wood chips that I add next to the electric element. Oh, and I wire brush the grates to keep the buildup to a minimum, without removing every speck of drippings. I wish there was a viable alternative for replacement (I would like a larger cooking surface) but since there is not a large selection on the market, I will keep patching the stand together as long as I can.
Anybody who needs these tips should just stick with the Golden Corral or some equivalent.
I have always said grilling on charcoal is a lot like sex when you get done it is really when you need to start.
Have to admit, these are pretty good tips for grilling (not smoking, good tips for grilling)...!
Marinating is often way too overdone, the texture of the meat becomes mealy and rather unpleasant. If you think it needs tenderizing, I prefer to either poke holes in it and a minimal marinade of 45 minutes or so, or smack it for a minute.
And I've eaten at some those "best" steak houses. I was very underwhelmed for the most part. The steaks were ok, but certainly not what I hoped for, and definitely WAY overpriced.
In order of preference.
1. Wood
2. Charcoal
3. Gas
I used to use a Weber kettle grill all the time and quite honestly got tired of all the time and waste you had using charcoal. I won't argue the flavor, I never had a bad steak on it, but it usually took almost an hour for the grill to be ready for cooking after lighting and only had enough charcoal remaining after extinguishing to act as a starter for the next grilling.
As such, I've moved to gas, but I still use many of the same techniques for cooking simply through dropping the lid and trying not to hover over it. 7 minutes on one side and 6 on the other usually had a steak just under medium well (parents didn't like too much pink) Burgers about 5 and 4.
I do have fun watching my wife grill though–she just can't seem to leave it alone.
I disgarree with the need for BBQ sauce on anything. A dry rub and slow smoking is all that is needed. In my view BBQ sauce is just a coverup for either lousy meat or poor technique. I have yet to encounter a BBQ sauce that actually improved the dining experience.
Marinades can make some cuts more interesting, but they can also too easily overpower the flavor of the meat. I believe marinades fall into the less is more category of seasonings.
For many, many years, I grilled & BBQed only on open wood fires, but use a gas grill for convenience now. It makes winter grilling much easier. I probably grill five nights per week and only use a start up high heat for grill cleaning. Meats don't stick and flavor is enhanced.
A good marinade is more for tenderizing than for seasoning. That said, one should not be used with a prime cut of meat. However, on fajitas a marinade for 18-24 hours works wonders. I marinaded untenderized beef skirt in a Bloody Mary marindade. The results were nothing short of phenomenal.
How about teaching people how to even light a charcoal grill? These things are designed to light more or less by themselves, yet I can recall my Dad battling the grill with a gigantic can of lighter fluid when I was a kid. It always seemed to take forever to get the darn thing started!
So here's the secret for those who don't know:
You know that second, smaller grate that sits down low in the bottom of a standard kettle grill? You put some wadded up newspaper under that, then pour the coals on top and light the paper through the holes underneath. The paper burns quickly, sucking oxygen in through the holes in the bottom of the grill. The heat from this flame is sufficient to light charcoal easily every time. No lighter fluid or "match light" necessary!
Don't do like my Dad used to do and sit your charcoal directly over top of the newspaper. If you do this, it smothers the flame. Without the air flow the paper can't burn hot enough to ignite the charcoal, which is why people feel the need to douse their charcoal in lighter fluid!
Another key to getting the coals to lite properly is to pile the coals up in a tee-pee. This newspaper method works, but I just use lighter fluid. Get all the coals slightly wet with the fluid, then squirt a little extra down inside the coals, then wait until the fluid soaks in and the sheen is off the coals (so it doesn't flare up) then light them in several places at the base. I've been using this method for 20 years, and I have never had to go back and try to re-lite my coals ....never. Wind or no wind.
Wow. You must be the ultimate man. Good for you buddy.
Complete crap. Use your oven broiler and be done in minutes. No hot summer sun beating down on you and having your friends, or wife, nagging that the meat is too done or not enough. I swear, you guys need to man up and just grill like you have a pair. The last time this author was in front of a grill was when he walked in front of his car. He's a hack.
In other words, you don't know how to grill, so everybody who does is a loser. There's a loser here, alright, but it ain't us.
Using a broiler isn't grilling, and it sure as hell isn't manly. Get a clue.
Actually, he was out grilling in front of the restaurant I ate at tonight . . . they have huge smokers in the parking lot.
The BIGGEST mistake I come across is when amateurs try to cook ribs. It's simply more than just taking meat and throwing it on the BBQ. It has to be properly prepared. The single most important step to making high quality ribs is removing the sheath on the back of the ribs before you even do anything. Do a youtube search on "ribs sheath removal" to learn how to properly prepare a rack of ribs. Amateurs that have no idea what they're doing almost never do this and it leads to tough ribs.
If there is one thing in the world I hate, its people grilling on a gas grill thinking they are accomplishing some great feat. If you're a serious griller, you'll never, ever, ever, use a gas grill.
These are great tips for any beginner (or anyone using a gas grill for that matter).
Have a happy grill filled weekend folks!
The BBQ Goddes will now chime in. I am about to dispense the ultimate law so pay attention. First of all learn the difference between grilling and BBQ. Gas grills are a pox on the earth, use them only for finishing a piece of meat. Also why are we hating the meat we are going through so much to cook. Don't season it to death, I want to taste what I paid for. Learning to grill/BBQ takes a bit of patience and you will destroy at least $200 of meat before you get the patience to do it right. Those of us who like charcoal, do not ever try to save money and buy cheap charcoal, use Kingsford for consistent results. I use charcoal for fuel and wood for flavor. That is all for now....stay tuned
I find that a lack of vigilance is a mistake often made. Once the meat hits the grill, stay with it until it's done.
There is a difference between BBQ jargons. BBQ can require a grilling methodology and/or a smoking method. One good thing to remember is that it all starts with the meat. You can have a fancy grill, smoker or combination but for a steak, the quality of the meat is of great importance. Knowing your cuts of meat and their best cooking methodologies are tantamount to turning out a good product. Knowing that an aged bone-in ribeye is the most flavorful muscle on the steer and a piece of tenderloin will be tender but not as flavorful can lend a big difference to the palette. (Knowing the difference between a cow and a steer is also very helpful) !
Sho' you right sister. I have flown from Florida to NYC just to get Prime grade beef. You can NEVER go wrong with ribeye or prime rib steaks. The flavor from the marbling can't be beat. You do have to know cuts of meat.
Rubs and BBQ sauce are not part of grilling. Neither are marinades.
There are only two flavor enhancers near my grill: salt and pepper.
We all have different tastes. Some people prefer the deeply smoky taste of a charcoal cooked steak others the grilled flavors you get with propane. That said..make it how you like it...Ain't having a choice great!
Brilliant..Can you grill and are you single?
I like the BIG Green Egg for both grilling and BBQ. I've yet to find a better patio cooker. Just my opinion.
If it is a steak i might just use salt or a gaucho tecnique from Argentina of salt water mixed with cayenne poured over the steaks as they cook (leaving a salty flavor). But for drier cuts of meat i do believe marinades and rubs work. Some further tips but grilling is like religion – just be glad we are all so passionate!
http://www.everydayfitgourmet.com/3/post/2011/05/every-day-healthy-fit-grilling.html
As for the gas grill-no taste statements, just put a few smoking-chips in a small cast-iron cup, place the cup near the burners, now you get smoke in the air for the "smoky" taste, as well as a much more accurate fire (and no coal, binders etc..)for the actual cooking.
I was wondering why my cup was warm and smelled like BBQ!!!
In Argentina, we use salt on our beef...that's it. Wood charcoal for heat. I would put a well-grilled "churasco" against any pepper-chili-paprika- powder> any day of the week. BTW, I've found cast iron grates to be best. Most Webers models can usually be ordered with them in lieu of the SS wire grills.
This sounds like a "Northerners" guide to BBQ. All you need is a great piece of meat.. a few drops of olive oil and salt and pepper rub.
Sounds like my last date.
Gas grills do not impart a gas flavor on meat. Too much trouble to grill in 5 degree weather with a stiff wind. to get good smoke flavor with a gas grill, use flavored pellets instead of chips. pellets don't require soaking either. Make a pouch of heavy duty foil and place 1/3 cup of pellets in pouch. Poke a small hole with toothpick and put on hot grill. When it starts to smoke, put the meat on. I like Jack Daniels pellets for beef, and apple for poultry and pork.
Food cooked over propane does NOT taste like petroleum. I put a rack of ceramic briquets between the burners and
the grates on my gas grill and get good flavor every time. I also have a gas fired smoker. Put a good dose of soaked
pecan or hickory chips in the cast iron box, a good bottle of beer or some bourbon in the water pan and go away
for a few hours and you'll be amazed at the results. OBTW I'm farm raised in cattle country so I know about good cuts
of meat
It's that skunk juice they put in Pro-pain, this weekend the whole neighborhood gonna smell like a skunk invasion.
Step 1) Invite hot Vegan chicks over and mention a great salad
Step 2) Cook assorted Meats on grill
Step 3) Serve Meat Salad
Step 4) Watch them all get angry
Seriously one of the funniest things I have ever seen...
For real or are you stirring the pot?
For real.... granted I did it with a group of friends back in college.
From David Weese: "Gas grills to not allow you to use wood chips, and wood is where the real flavor comes from". I use a gas grill and I've been using wood chips for years. It's not rocket surgery.
And for all you people claiming you can taste the difference between gas and charcoal grills? What you're tasting with propane is the LACK of all the horrible crap that is in charcoal.
I light my farts to start up my charcoal grill. Can't do that with Propane.
Rocket surgery, George ...er, I mean Carnie. Gee, and here I thought you meant brain science.
So you're telling me you take water-soaked chips and throw them right in your gas grill and allow them to burn up? Just putting them in a pan of water and allowing them to steam is not the same thing. That's rocket surgery. You need both the steam and the smoke to get the real flavor from the chips.
Maybe they should try cow patty chips?
What is it with you people and being able to taste propane. You are full of yourselves... and wrong.
If you add some smoking wood to a propane grill your food will taste great.
As has been stated most top-shelf steak restaurants cook with propane. I guess they just don't know what they are doing.
It's not so much that you can taste the propane, it's what you can do with charcoal vs. what you can do with gas. Gas grills to not allow you to use wood chips, and wood is where the real flavor comes from. Oh, sure, they have those pellets pellets that you soak in water them put in tin foil, but those produce wood flavored steam. And sure, good steak houses use gas, but the difference is that their grills allow the flames to come up and lick the meat and are generally hotter that the gas grills you buy at the hardware store. The keys to a good steak are wood smoke and allowing the flames to lick the meat so it puts a black sear on the steak like you get at a fancy steak house. Propane grills are outdoor stoves.
I agree with this comment 100%. The "I can taste the propane" argument is crap. But you are right, you can do a lot more with charcoal. But you can also get a smoke box that works pretty well on a gas grill. I say this as someone who owns BOTH types of grills and enjoys charcoal very much.
If you think you can't use wood chips with propane, you are an idiot.
ding dang propane got sunk juice in it so it can be smelled. Dang gone skunk juice doesn't burn through and skunks the grill. manoman, noth'n worse then a skunk beer and a skunk grill, tell you what.
The best steak is one I haven't tried yet. I love trying new techniques, sauces, rubs, etc. I don't think anyone is the best... so I am always anxious to try new!
Good attitude Joe, the best is yet to come!
I'd like to see Satyry Kem on this blog. The kdi is like the Bobby Fischer of food.
Who cares about the flavoring? What this article needs is a step-by-step outline of how to build a perfect fire in a grill. I, unlike most, don't grill, and would like something like that for future reference.
More coals = more heat.
less coals = less heat
coals in one area gives different "temperature zones"
coals spread evenly throughout give more even heating.
Its all pretty common sense stuff.
Yea, flavoring is way over rated. Why bother with a fire when you can grill right on the stoves electric element?
I never rub my meat. Well, unless I'm really lonely.
Is it illegal in Illinois to pay someone for rubbing your meat?
As long as they cook it afterward.
Sorry, misread. I thought you were asking if it was LEGAL.
I know this Greek guy here in MA who does an excellent job rubbing meat. His mother taught him.
If you're putting bbq sauce on a steak it must be a really bad cut. Chicken or ribs, sure, but not steak.
Good beef shouldn't have sauce or rub or any kind of junk smeared on it. If you need all that stuff, buy a better grade of meat. A little coarse salt is all it needs.
Obviously not everyone can afford to always buy expensive cuts of meat.
The author never mentioned steak. He owns BBQ restaurants, so his advice is useful for cooking brisket, ribs, etc. All of those things taste great with sauce.
You don't need BBQ sauce for good grilling. Just good food, good friends, a well stocked first aid kit, and 911 on speed dial.
Nah, nothing next to a broken bone that can't be fixed with a sewing kit, super glue, duct tape and liquor.
You had me at liquor.
Do yourself a favor and youtube: Rib Eye Steak Recipe by the BBQ Pit Boys
It's not my video, but I had to share it with you all after reading this article.
A recipe for a steak? Then pressed charcoal and starter fluid? C'mon, man...what is this, the patio pansy grill?
Tbone, are you a charcoal or propane/natural gas guy??
What is your favorite steakhouse, name a few of the places you like to go to.
Are you sure you watched it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB16Dbjz8oo
for extra juicy meals, i like to cook live animals on the grill. the screaming dies down after about a minute, but after that its all deliciousness.
Don't you at least skin them first? That burning fur must really stink!
Nah leave the skin on it keeps the meat from drying out.
I disagree with the "gas taste". Lighter fluid will burn off by the time the coals are hot enough for grilling. If you taste lighter fluid the coals are not finished yet and you're putting the meat on the coals to soon.
On another note, gas taste in a propane grill is always present and that why I avoid those like the plague. If you use a propane grill you might as well just cook indoors on the broiler. Another reason I avoid Burger King, those burgers always taste like propane.
Tripp, just curious...what state do you do your cooking in??
Obviously the burgerking state, where they love the taste of campstove fuel on their bad cuts of meat
This guy is so full of crap. His lack of knowledge is shown in his mistakes. Flavor depends on the cut of meat, type of meat and wood used. meat sticking to the grill can be kept to a minimum if the grill is clean AND if the meat is sprayed with PAM or an oil based marinade is used. #, I will give him credit for this one. Propane does not flavor the meat. Charcoal does and produces carcinogenic materials. A gas grill will give the same smokey flavor if the cook knows how to set up a smoke chimney. Finally, flare ups only occur if the cook does not let the coals get to a cooking temp and the if the meats are fatty. I have BBQed professionally for many years and participated and won numerous contests. Too bad Cnn must use failed know-it-alls for a story.
You seem to be a know it all, and a bragger. I have been to BBQ competitions(to eat, not participate) and every single "chef" there is absolutely convinced that their way is the best and everyone else is wrong. Seems you are no exception.
Again, BBQ is completly different than Grilling.
Them carcinogens are from the fats and drippings burring in the grill, any kind of grill.
If you look at the actual research suggesting grilling meat may prodcue carcinogens, the equivalent amount of meat that must be consumed by a human as was needed to produce tumors in 50% of the lab animals is typically between 400 and 10,000 lbs daily. In ohter words, char and nitrites in grilled meat is a non-issue. All that research is nothing more than chasing academic butterflies.
Is your BBQ as bitter as your attitude?
@tripp....I get that BBQ and grilling are different things. But when you are going over to a friends, or people are coming to your house to cook outside on a grill, no one says "lets go to a grilling". BBQ is just the common terminology that is used. Get over it.
"This guy" makes the best BBQ in town. Possibly in the country. I am fortunate enough to live in Rochester right now and my dinner tonight at "this guy's" restaurant was excellent.
I disagree with putting a sauce on everything. Sometimes is okay, but sometimes a dry rub stands on its own. As to the gas vs. charcoal debate. Charcoal wins hands down for flavor. I guess gas wins for convenience, but I can't remember ever being in a hurry for a BBQ to be over. Generally the socializing outdoors while the food is cooking is a big part of the whole experience. If you want food right now, I guess gas works, but flavor wise you would probably do just as good with an oven and/or frying pan.
Man, you guys must be buying some bad propane or something...
good tips. i appreciate the outkast quote...
I have to agree with RJ above regarding gas grills. Gas grills help you sear and oven cook better than the $100 Webber. A roasted garlic/butter brush on is better than vegtable oil to grease the grill and it flavors the steak too. Also, always let your steak sit at room temp before you cook it. JLC is totally correct on big mistakes. Remeber gang, you gotta sear the outside then put it on the top rack to finish it off.
All this finese over a piece of meat?
Whenever I smoke a Vegan, it does take a great amount of finesse to make sure all arms and legs are positioned just right so the lid can be placed tightly over the grill grate. Loss of smoke means a longer cooking time thus tougher meat.
How do you get em lite?
I've never liked grilled Vegans. Better to fatten them up on Dr Pepper and Frito Pie, first.
Really? I thought smoking required a longer time. You're curing the vegan, not cooking it.
Man, the biggest problem with smoking a vegan is keeping them lit! Damn things are always going out on me...
When smoking vegans it is required that you incapacitate them first. Booze is not recommended as it causes fire within said vegan thus ruining the meat. A swift blow to the head with a piece of firewood is recommended.
To each their own, but I have a kamado style grill, it's a smoker, and I can tell the taste over gas. Good luck with number 2. For most guys cleaning = get the temp real high, scrape and that's it. And 3 I don't get the point of marinading, you can't taste the difference, but it's inevitable someone always does it with salad dressing. Anyway, brining is a great alternative.
Ah so, a salt marinade!
This guy is wrong on several levels. Great flavor can be achieved with just standard charcoal and the right wood chips. For a good steak, all you need is onion salt and garlic powder. Then you put the wood chips on (after soaking them in water) and allow them to flame up, then put the steaks on with the coals high and allow the flame to come up and lick the meat. After you have put an good light char on the outside of the meat (which seals in the juices) lower the coals and close the lid and allow the steak to cook in the smoke from the remaining chips until it's done.
For a good steak, all you REALLY need is salt.
Fresh dill and black pepper, as well as kosher/sea salt. Yum.
B, I agree my only question for you is what kind of salt do you use?? For one reason or another many people do not realize that there are several grades of salt with your regular table salt usually being the lowest grade, I would suggest that if you do not already use a higher quality salt that you at least pick up some kosher salt although I use sea salt which costs more but is so much better!!
I use salt made from the tears of virgin baby seals.
Cavender's greek seasoning. If they ever quit making it I'll have to quit cooking.
And ground black pepper. Lots.
"put an good light char on the outside of the meat (which seals in the juices)"
No. It does not "seal in the juices."
Yes, it does.
I would like to correct number 2 as well. Wire brushes actually take the coating off of many stock grates. I don't recommend using a wire brush because it causes premature rusting if it isn't coated with oil afterwards. Instead use a grill scrubber... just wait for it to cool down a bit if you have the handheld one without an extended arm.
Also, if using a propane grill... make sure you clean the flare-up shields. Grease, food particles, and ash can build up and cause a fire in your grill. Improper maintenance can cause some big problems.
Ah heck, just take your propane torch and burn that grate clean. Or when the little lady ain't home, stick it in her self cleaning oven and give it a go. Just take out the oven's shelves first or you'll get busted like I did, because that oven on self clean turns the shinny chrome blue.
I thought the biggest mistake was too much fuel. Well, that or rolling a flaming propane tank under your mom's car.
Dinner AND a show? Sweet!
A cooler of beer. The right way to BBQ
I have to disagree with #4 because his rationale is just not true. I have never believed that there was much of a taste difference between gas (propane) & charcoal and my thoughts have only been strengthened after doing further research. Another BBQ website pointed out the fact that the best steak houses in the country who use the best cuts of meat (USDA Prime) all use gas instead of charcoal so the belief that charcoal produces better tasting meat is pure fiction. If the authors beliefs were true you would find the best steak houses in the country (Smith & Wollensky, Ruth Cris, Mortons, The Palm, Peter Lugars, etc.) would use charcoal but they don't, they only use gas powered broilers that pust the temperature over 1000 degrees. Having said that, I do believe the best BBQ is done by using flavored (i.e. oak, hickory, etc) wood chips to smoke the meat slow and low.
obviously you never cooked on real wood. Nutwood is the best, especially black walnut. Many great steakhouses here on the west coast use a combination of oak and madrone. Charcoal has coal in it, gas is just disgusting. Real wood is so much better tasting it isn't even comparable. Petroleum tastes nasty and simply doesn't belong in food.
charcoal doesn't have coal in it. Charcoal is created by burning wood in a low oxygen environment. Charcoal brickettes are pressed and formed from that wood charcoal.
lol...Where did you hear that there was coal in charcoal? Maybe you should have googled that one before you said anything
I think the two of you should do a little research before you disagree with my statement. Yes, it is charred wood but it also has coal and many nasty chemicals added. You can buy real charred wood, but it isn't those little perfectly little shaped briquettes. Those are the ones with coal in them. Charred wood has various shapes and sizes, not mold formed shapes.
Willie, Willie, you have no clue...
Willie, propane/natural gas do not have any taste at and that's the point especially when you are cooking steak. If you are going to steakhouses that are cooking USDA Prime beef with flavored wood I feel sorry for you because you are wasting your money. The last thing you want when you are paying for an expensive cut of beef (USDA Prime, Porterhouse, Filet, Strip, etc.) is a process that takes away from the natural taste (depending upon marbling) of the beef and cooking a steak using wood does just that. If you are cooking less expensive cuts of meat (i.e. chicken, pork or a cheaper cut of beef ..pit beef, etc.) using wood is a great idea but is definitely a no-no when eating, ordering or paying for a USDA Prime cut of beef.
Trippp, I love your screen name but I must say, I have never had a single complaint about my cooking on wood. It tastes fabulous and everyone loves it who tries it. Isn't that why we do it in the first place? If you ate my "grilling" as you called it, I guarantee you would be lickin' your plate!
RJ, I have natural gas in my home, I can absolutely taste a difference. Apparently your taste buds are a little less sensitive than mine! I also use quality grass fed all natural beef that I age before I cook it. Aging the meat is absolutely critical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briquette
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Charcoal-Briquette.html
"The other primary ingredient, used to produce a high-temperature, long-lasting fire, is coal. Various types of coal may be used, ranging from sub-bituminous lignite to anthracite."
http://www.bbqdan.com/grilling/charcoal_faq.html
“Q: Exactly what are charcoal briquettes?
A: Charcoal briquettes are produced by crushing charcoal and mixing in additives, such as nitrates (to make them burn better), and clays and starches (as binders to allow pressing into the traditional shape) and other additives. Some charcoal briquette manufacturers pride themselves on making a briquette out of almost pure wood charcoal, using only starch as a binder to hold the charcoal in shape. Other manufacturers make no secret that they use a wide variety of additives. A Kingsford Company spokeswoman stated: "Briquettes are preferred by Americans for their uniform size and stable heat." She pooh-poohs concerns about their ingredients, which include: powdered charcoal, anthracite coal for long burning, limestone to create ash, starch as binders, and sawdust and sodium nitrate for quick lighting. "The starch is perfectly natural and the coal is high-quality."
Some truth maybe in the coal statement
5 Mins of research
Someone should read the ingredients on their bag of charcoal. Soak a briquette in water untill you can crumble it. How many things can you identify?
willie, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of cooking with various types of wood (which is something you can easily do with a propane gas powered grill) but that is something that I only do with chicken, pork, less expensive cuts of beef, etc. but if you are cooking at home or going to a steakhouse the last thing you want is to have a USDA Prime cut of beef that is cooked using flavored wood. 99% of all Steakhouses/Restaurants use propane or natural gas to cook these expensive cuts of beef because this method allows the beef to be the star not the method of cooking (i.e. wood, charcoal, rubs, marinades, etc.) and thats the way its supposed to be!!
RJ, I use all High quality beef, well aged, I prefer a good ole rib eye with nice marbling. I also grill pheasants, guineas, geese, venison, goats, squirrels and even rattlesnakes! I try to avoid chickens, they don't taste so good.
Grilling on charcoal is BAD. Particularly if you don't get all natural (expensive) charcoal you typically end up with borax, coal dust, sodium nitrate, limestone and starch getting smoked onto you meat. PHAs (carcinogens) form on your meat from fat dripping too. That black char people like is carcinogenic. Stick to gas, don't burn the meat and stay away from the smoke.
YOu can keep your gas. The meat taste like crap when cooked with propane. You are totally wrong in your assumption about charcoal. Do some research.
Saliva causes cancer, but only if swallowed in small amounts over a long period of time.
@Tripp – You're just being a snob. You can cook delicious meat on a gas grill. Get over yourself.
I always use wood. I know the dinosaur BBQ does too. Great article John! Keep up the good work.
That's because steaks are grilled, not BBQed. Big difference between the two.
BTW go to West Virginia sometime and see the very large Kingsford plants. On side of the yard they will have a HUGE pile of coal on the other they will have a HUGE pile of scrap wood from a sawmill. They use both.
It's funny how everyone sayst his dude is wrong. He own's five BBQ restraunts. He conslts CNN on BBQ. I think he probably knows a thing or two about what makes good BBQ. It's true tha maybe you wouldn't BBQ a certain way, but the reality is that you don't have 200 people a night beating down your door at five locals for your que. Take his advice and you might get better at what you do.
i would add to that:
6) constantly flipping your steak
7) not letting the steak rest for five minutes before cutting.
8) cooking the steak anything past medium rare
Actually, the "flip only once" thing is a myth. Mind you, that's how I cook my steak (well, kind of. I do a reverse sear, so start slow, bring up to about 90-95F, then sear two minutes a side and rest), but I've read various chefs, like Harold McGee and the fine folks over at Serious Eats (http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/the-food-lab-more-tips-for-perfect-steaks.html) recommend flipping more often: as much as every 15-30 seconds, so promote more even cooking and a juicier steak.
@ Pete: If you want accurate grill marks, you should not flip the steak more than four times total. This is flipping them over, then flipping again, turning the streaks 180 degrees to get a diamond effect from the grill. Flipping them more than this doesn't make a horrible steak, just not a gourmet looking one.
@Ruderails .. Pete's right. F–k the look .. it's all about the taste. A perfect diamond doesn't taste any different than a bite of air.
@AGeek – preach on!
Top Chefs suggest letting your meat settle before cooking, don't just take it from the frig to the grill, stove or oven, meat holds flavor better and will be more tender.
It's not settling.. it's bringing up to room temperature so the interior of the meat isn't dead cold when it hits the grill, which would result in a raw center, rather than medium rare.
Also, after grilling, let the meat sit for 10 minutes before serving. This evenly distributes the juices and allows the meat to finish cooking properly.
Lesson learned the hard way of adding fuel to smoldering coals. I spent time in a burn unit for 18% burns. Luckily I only have a few scars to remind me to use "correct" fuel and don't add more fuel once it's lit.
Darwin at work.
YES! True yet sad.
Buddy there is always a silver lining. Thank you for your experience to remind us this is live fire and deserves respect. Charcoal takes 20 minutes(used to be closer to 30 minutes) to be ready. I could teach anybody how to grill if they do the one thing basic thing and that is charcoal MUST be gray before you put one calorie on the grill.
Are you kidding me. Burned with today's watered down lighter fluid. You would have to been directly on top of the coals. Sorr yfor your pain. I could see this happening with the old lighter fluid when the flame would travel with the stream back to the bottle creating havoc.
Note he also said "correct fuel". My guess is that he topped her off with kerosine – or worse, gasoline. Had an ex-husband that tried to start a fire with gasoline – once. He was lucky. The explosion knocked him 6 feet and singed the hair off his face. If you are going to use fuel, make sure you know what you're doing!
Chimney charcoal starter Sir! Glad to read that you healed nicely and lived to grill another day. :-)
When you first put your meat on the grill, put them at the hottest part and let them sear on each side (no more than a minute or two) to lock in the juices. Then move to a slightly cooler part of the grill (not directly over the heat) and cook turning only once. People ALWAYS forget to sear.
A good sear is important, but it's a myth that it seals in juices.
LOL, I don't know why people still believe that myth...
Alton Brown is always going on about this. It doesn't seal in the juices, he says, and I think he says he's tested it to show that it doesn't create any kind of barrier to the juice getting out, as the phrase suggests. It creates a strong contrast between layers that gives that impression. So says Alton, and he's the man.
I put my meat on the grill once, but I kept falling down when I tried to turn it over.
......OWWWW!!!!!!
In Austin,we use Bat Guano for that special smoked flavor. :)))
you're shittin' me right?
Thats Hilarious!!!!
My theory that Texans are full of shiiiit has now been proven with the bat quano example. Excellent work.
Manners, dudest, less you get the electricity turned off again.
Guano cups....collect the whole set!
another reason why texans are full of sht.
That's why we wear boots,just in case it gets too deep.
that's why ya'll have BROWN-EYES ! LMAO !
I can see it. Anybody who knows tobacco (I'm from NC) knows latakia. Tobacco cured with camel dung. Why do you think they call the cigarette 'Camel'? LOL! And don't get me started on how many places in the world use various animal droppings to cook with – talk about that old-fashion outdoors taste! ;)
The hard thing about it is...man, it's just so tedious squeezing all those bats to collect enough guano, if you've gone through your reserve.
Well, T-Bone...goes to prove that Austin is Weird! And to all...wood, charcoal, gas...whatever trips your trigger. Just got through happily smoking two racks of ribs and most of a healthy beef brisket. Used hickory wood to smoke, and mesquite-infused charcoal. YUM! Happy grilling/BBQing!
With love from San Antone!
CHARCOAL!?! Are you kiddin' me? If it ain't wood it ain't BBQ!
BBQ is completly different than Grilling.
you call it grilling I call it bar-b-que. I may have called it by the wrong technical name but I do believe we are talking about the same thing.
Nope look it up. They be different cooking methods. Think of grilling as a frying pan on a stove and BBQing as baking in an oven.
Trippp is right. You don't barbecue a steak, and you don't grill a brisket. Barbecue is low and slow–ribs, pork butt, brisket, etc. Grilling is a few minutes over charcoal, like fish or steaks. You don't barbecue with charcoal, and most people don't grill with wood, but you certainly can–it gives plenty of smoke flavor.
BBQ is a NOUN not a VERB!!
Just like a skillet blackens with age a grill works better once coated in a layer of "black". It still needs cleaning, but it should never be taken down to the bare metal. The coating acts as an insulator and prevents the meat from sticking and/or burning.
Number 2 is wrong, Just like a skillet blackens with age a grill works better once coated in a layer of "black". It still needs cleaning, but it should never be taken down to the bare metal. The coating acts as an insulator and prevents the meat from sticking and/or burning.
That is true only if your using cast iron grills. For your standard metal wire grills like what comes on a Weber grill, you want to keep those clean. But you're right, a cast iron grill needs to be seasoned much the same way as you would season a cast iron skillet.
The webber grill does in fact come with cast iron grates. We have one and before you can even use it you have to "season" the grates.
Raevyn1 – You are partially correct. This depends on which Weber you purchase, some do come with stainless steel and some with porceline wrapped grates
Maybe to a point, but I want the grill marks on my food coming from a sear and not from the black on the grill you describe.
You just brush the burned junk out of your skillet before you start cooking, right?
A lot of good points, thanks.
Just like cast iron has to be seasoned, so do grills. I cringe starting out on a new grill because I don't it's hot spots or tendencies. I don't think you should be but so fastidious about cleaning the grill as it will develop it's own non stick properties. I like to show off to myself by cooking and skin on salmon on the grill and pulling it off with the skin nice and crispy brown. This is the phd course in grilling. I recommend Weber but you are a BBQ/grill professional like myself, I can do a feast on an aluminum pan and 4 lumps of charcoal because I am goood. Had to burn up and destroy lots product to be able to boast like this.
You don't want food buildup on your grates, whether the little stainless steel ones like in the Weber kettle, or iron ones, any more than you food buildup on a cast iron skillet–because it's disgusting for one thing. A certain basic level of cleaning is needed in both cases, but I think the author is assuming the little stainless steel grates when he talks about taking a stiff metal brush to them with an attitude.
You have to also be real careful about food buildup allowing moisture to be stored, which lets rust develop, before the grates are fully cured. The initial cure before cooking needs to be good, but you can still get rust in the first few months, and the curing process takes a bunch of sessions. It's like cleaning a cast iron skillet, but I think some grillers leave their grates a little less clean than that and think they can burn it off at the beginning of the next session–not that I've ever done that myself, and paid the price with rusty grates. It was a friend of a guy I know.
I can't live without my seasoned pans, it makes the world of difference. I wish he mentioned how far from the coal/flames the meat should be though. I'm just going to start grilling this summer.
I agree. I like cast iron cooking wear because you can develope a patina over time which reduces burning, sticking and the amount of oil needed. Plus, if you do burn something, scrub it with a wire pad. I have a cast iron grill on my BBQ which is great but they are ard to find.
and use a chunk of Hawaiian guava or kiawe wood for great smoked flavor!
Definitely looks great for the BBQ!.. Can't wait to try that!.. they are going to go great with my signature.. my "Love You Long Time Pork Ribs". that I make... they are these braised Asian BBQ ribs that I throw on the BBQ after simmering. They always come out so great.. and the recipe is actually online.. just google the name or "Whipped and beaten culinary works" and you will find them... But be warned.. if you get offended easily or can't take a good joke.. they are on a pretty UNpc food website.. (hilarious, but not for everyone) so if you don't have a good sense of humor.. skip it..